Street-car fender.



PATENTD OCT. 6, 1903. E. -MELZ'EPM .STREET CAR FENDER.

'APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 12. 1903.

no MODEL.`

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l l l l l QI l l l) QA MNNOA 0 .000002 zvvi: 0000000 A0202020202020 (fl l l I) 's areas so, wom-umu msnm mn u UNITED STATESl Patented October 6, 1903.

EMIL MELZER, OF ZELLA, ST. BLASII, GERMANY.

STREET-CAR FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,985, dated October 6, 1903.

Application filed January 12, 1903. Serial No. 133,790. {No modelli iication.

My invention relates to car-fenders; and my object is to producea device of this character which is positive and reliable in operation and embodies simplicity, strength, and cheapness in its manufacture.

lVith these general objects in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combination of parts, as will hereinafter be described and claimed, and in order that the invention may be fully understood reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a `front view of the upper part of the fender, which is permanently attached to the front wall of the car. Fig. 2 shows both the upper and lower part of the fender, also in a front View, while Figs. 3, 4, and 5 represent details of the dsengaging or coupling device.

With reference to the above drawings I pro-- vide at the front wall of the car a strong netting 1, made of cord, such netting being fastened onto' or suspended from a bar or steel tube 2, arranged across such front wall and along part of the side walls at a small distance therefrom by means of a suitable number of hooks, rings, or straps attached to said netting or by means of the end meshes thereof.- The lower end of said netting is fastened by similar means to the bars or steel tubes 3 3, arranged at the bottom end of the car at a similardistancetherefrom. Thebarsorsteel tubes 2 and 3 3'are at their extreme ends, at the side walls and front walls of the car, respectivelybentorturnedinwardly. Another netting of similar construction is fastened with one end onto a bow-like steel tube or bar 4, provided with two runners or casters 5, which are adapted to run upon the rails of the tramway as soon as the said bow-like bar 4 is disengaged and drops down upon the surface of the tramway, while the other or upper end of such netting is lashed or otherwise secured onto the above-mentioned bars 3 3. The disengagement of the bow-like bar 4 will hereinafter be described. The latter is, with its two extremities, inserted into cheeks 6 and secured by means of adjusting-screws 7.` I arrange a cross-axle 8 at the bottom of the car, to which are solidly attached two cheeks or jaws 9, the latter being capable of swinging' to and fro, so that the axle 8 will also partly rotate, as such swinging motion takes place. Onto said cheeks or jaws 9 are riveted other two cheeks 6, which are'iirmly connected with one another below the bottom of the car by means of a cross-bar ll.

At the under side of the car is arranged a nose l2, on which rests the cross-bar l1 when the lower netting is raised or in its normal position, so that the mechanism will be as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.' As soon as the least impact to the bow-like bar 4 occurs the cheeks 6, with the bar ll, are pushed back, since the latter rests loosely on nose 12; but such nose l2 may preferably be provided with a slight groove 14 on that part which generally rests on the bar l1 in order to prevent its slipping in-consequence of the percussions to which the car is as a rule exposed. It will then not slip without a knock being imparted to the fender from the front. K

The above-mentioned lower netting is attached on the one hand to the bars 3 3 and onthe other to the bow-like bar 4, forms a sort of mold-shaped netting, and is adapted to catch up any person or other obstruction in front of the car, and the nettings, which contain'suitably-wide meshes, aord to persons a sure and reliable holdfast in cases of collisions.

The action of the new device therefore is as follows: When the bow-like banor steel tube 4 at the front of the car receives animpact or strikes an obstruction infront thereof, the bar 1]., with the two cheeks G, is compelled to slip over or leave the projecting nose 14, and the bow-like bar 4, with the netting attached thereto, will drop down by its own weight. rlhe casters or runners s will drop upon and run along the rails, and any person or other obstruction in front ofthe car will be caught up bythe mold-shaped netting.

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What I claim as my invention, and desire pose described and illustrated in the accomto secure by Letters Patent of the United panying drawings. l States, is In testimony that I claim the foregoing as Street-car fender having an upper and a my invention I have signed my name in pres- 5A lower netting attached to the front of the car, ence of two subscribing Witnesses.

a bow-like bar or steel tube fastened to the lower end of the lower netting and being car- Y EMIL MELZER' ried at its two extremities by two cheeks, Vitnesses: which are movably suspended from a cross- GUSTAV ANDRAE, ro axle underneath the car, as and for the pur- ALBERT KELBER. 

